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The battlefield was alive with chaos as Gerhardt stood surrounded by his comrades, their collective breath catching in their throats.

The old mage's hands trembled, gripping the reins of his magical lizard as a deep, ominous rumble echoed through the smoke.

At first, it was faint, barely noticeable above the din of battle, but it grew louder, deeper, more insistent with each passing moment.

"What... what is that?" one of the mages whispered, their voice barely audible over the low-frequency hum that seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere.

Gerhardt didn't answer immediately. His sharp, weathered eyes scanned the horizon, his magical senses tuned to the eerie fluctuations in the air.

His heart pounded as the pressure built, heavy and oppressive. It wasn't just sound—it was weight, like a mountain pressing down on their chests.

The other mages began to notice it too. One clutched at their chest, gasping, while another muttered incantations under their breath, trying to create a protective barrier around themselves.

"I feel it," said one, their voice cracking with fear. "It's... it's magic, but not like anything I've ever felt before. It's... wrong."

"Silence!" Gerhardt barked, his authoritative tone cutting through the growing panic.

His own heart raced, but he wouldn't let the others see his fear. "Focus your minds. This is nothing but a distraction. Hold formation!"

But even as he spoke, the rumbling intensified. The very ground beneath their feet seemed to shudder, and the air around them grew thick, almost suffocating.

One mage fell to their knees, clutching their head. "I can't think—it's too much! What is this?!"

"Stand up!" Gerhardt barked again, his voice a mix of fury and desperation. He turned to the others. "Concentrate your power! We must dispel this—whatever it is!"

The rumble deepened, transitioning into a low, pulsing vibration that they could feel in their bones.

The mages exchanged panicked glances, their once-confident expressions now filled with dread.

"It's not stopping," another mage murmured, their hands trembling as they tried to summon a spell. "It's—gods, it's getting stronger!"

The wind began to pick up, swirling around them in unpredictable patterns. Loose dirt and debris were whipped into the air, creating a chaotic vortex that stung their eyes and obscured their vision.

"Gerhardt, this isn't normal!" one of the younger mages shouted, their voice breaking. "This... this is something else!"

The old mage didn't respond immediately. His mind raced, piecing together every bit of information he had.

Could this be the Orc leader's doing?

No, impossible.

No single being could produce this much magical pressure… could they? Plus, the leader was clear just in the middle stage mana magical beasts.

He was higher than that by five stages.

Soon, the vibrations intensified further, now accompanied by a deep, resonating hum that made their ears ring.

Gerhardt's magical lizard shifted nervously beneath him, its claws scraping the ground as it let out a low growl of unease.

Suddenly, the shockwave hit.

It wasn't a physical force but an auditory one—a deafening BOOM that seemed to come from the heavens themselves.

The mages reeled back, clutching their heads as the sound wave blasted through them.

The ground quaked violently, cracks spider webbing through the earth as a gale-force wind tore through the battlefield.

The mages screamed, some shielding their faces with their arms while others stumbled and fell to the ground.

And then... nothing.

The rumbling stopped. The vibrations ceased. The suffocating pressure in the air lifted, and the battlefield fell eerily silent.

For a moment, no one moved. The mages exchanged wide-eyed looks, their breaths coming in ragged gasps. Gerhardt sat frozen atop his lizard, his brow furrowed in confusion. Continue your journey with empire

"…That's it?" one of the mages finally said, their voice tinged with disbelief.

Another let out a shaky laugh, standing up and brushing the dirt off their robes. "Was... was that all? That terrifying buildup... and nothing happened?"

A wave of nervous chuckles rippled through the group.

"Maybe it was some kind of bluff," one suggested, trying to mask their relief with bravado.

"Or maybe they failed," another sneered, emboldened by the apparent anticlimax. "All that noise, all that pressure, and nothing to show for it? Pathetic."

One of the younger mages collapsed to the ground, laughing hysterically. "I thought we were going to die!" they gasped between bouts of laughter. "All that panic for nothing! What a joke!"

Gerhardt narrowed his eyes but said nothing. His instincts screamed at him that this wasn't over.

A mage leaned on their staff, sighing heavily. "I've never felt anything like that before, and it was all for show. I mean, really, what kind of failure…"

The laughter grew louder, some mages shaking their heads in mockery, others letting out exaggerated sighs of relief.

"I suppose this Orc leader isn't as clever as he thought," one said smugly, adjusting their robes. "To think we were actually worried about—"

A faint tremor beneath their feet interrupted them. It was subtle, almost imperceptible, but it made Gerhardt's eyes widen.

"Quiet," he snapped, his voice cutting through the mocking laughter.

The others fell silent, their amusement fading as they noticed the grim look on Gerhardt's face.

"What is it?" one mage asked nervously.

The old man didn't answer immediately. His eyes scanned the horizon, his magical senses reaching out. He felt it again—that same oppressive, unnatural magic from earlier.

Only this time, it wasn't just pressure.

It was intent.

The faint tremor grew stronger, the ground vibrating beneath them in steady pulses.

.The sky above seemed to darken slightly, as though something massive was blocking the sun.

Gerhardt's throat went dry. He looked up, his heart sinking as he saw a massive figure descending from the sky, its grotesque, glowing body radiating pure destruction.

"Oh no…" he whispered, his voice barely audible. His hands tightened around his staff, his knuckles white. "Oh gods, no."

The battlefield was a cacophony of chaos as the air itself seemed to vibrate with an oppressive, suffocating power.

Gerhardt, perched atop his magical lizard, was frozen in place, his aged face twisted in horror.

He clenched his staff so tightly his knuckles turned white. His eyes darted around frantically, but no source of the overwhelming power could be seen.

And then he felt it.

A pulse. A deep, resonant thrum that seemed to originate from everywhere at once.

It wasn't sound—it was force, rippling through the ground and the very air around them.

The knights staggered, their armor clinking as they tried to steady themselves, looking to their commanders for guidance.

"EARTH MAGIC!"

Gerhardt suddenly screamed, his voice carrying over the din like a thunderclap. His shout snapped the mages and knights out of their stunned confusion.

"IT'S GROUND MAGIC, OR SOMETHING WORSE! PREPARE YOURSELVES!"

One of the younger knights stumbled forward, his face pale. "What's happening, Lord Mage?" he stammered, his voice quivering. "Where is it coming from? Who's attacking us?"

"I DON'T KNOW!" Gerhardt bellowed, his voice thick with both frustration and terror. His head whipped from side to side, his magical senses reaching out desperately.

The pressure was unbearable, like a tidal wave crashing over them. "I—CAN'T—SEE IT! DEFEND YOURSELVES! PREPARE FOR IMPACT!"

The knights murmured nervously, their once-proud formation beginning to waver.

A few clutched their swords and shields tighter, while others began muttering prayers to their gods.

The mages, sensing the imminent threat as keenly as Gerhardt did, sprang into action.

They raised their staffs and began to chant in unison, their voices weaving together in an ancient incantation.

Magic circles flickered into existence around them, glowing with vibrant hues of blue, green, and gold.

"MAGIC BARRIER!" Gerhardt roared, slamming the butt of his staff into the ground.

A golden dome of light shimmered into existence, spreading outward to encompass as many knights as possible.

The other mages followed suit, their barriers joining together to form a multilayered shield around the human army.

But the pressure didn't stop. It only grew stronger.

The earth beneath their feet began to quake violently, fissures snaking across the ground with loud, cracking sounds.

The air grew thick with an oppressive energy that made it difficult to breathe.

One of the knights fell to his knees, gasping for air. "What is this?!" he cried out, his voice filled with panic. "I can't... I can't move!"

"It's coming!" another mage yelled, their face drenched in sweat as they struggled to maintain their barrier.

Gerhardt's heart pounded in his chest as he felt the energy build.

It was unlike anything he'd ever experienced—a raw, chaotic force that defied comprehension. And then, realization struck him like a lightning bolt.

"N

o... no, no, NO!" he screamed, his voice cracking. He turned to the other mages, his face a mask of terror. "RETRACT THE BARRIERS! FOCUS THEM ON YOURSELVES! NOW!"